The Uchiha Clan compound.
Uchiha Fugaku stood beneath the veranda’s eaves.
His gaze swept across the many rooftops before settling on the Hokage Building.
“Clan Leader.”
“The ANBU are making a major move.”
“And it isn’t just the ANBU.”
“According to the perimeter patrol, the rats from Root have also swarmed out.”
Just then, Uchiha Tekka appeared in a blur before Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku said nothing.
The three tomoe in his scarlet eyes spun rapidly.
Something major had happened.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo never acted without a clear objective.
For them to cause such a commotion, the matter could not be trivial.
“Which direction?”
“Where did they go?”
Uchiha Fugaku asked coldly.
“The southeastern corner.”
“If I’m not mistaken, their target is the former Senju Clan compound.”
Uchiha Tekka swallowed hard.
Uchiha Fugaku’s pupils contracted sharply upon hearing the report.
The former Senju compound?
That godforsaken place abandoned for decades?
“Let’s go!”
“We’ll follow them and see what’s happening!”
…
The Hyuga Clan compound.
Hyuga Hiashi stood in the center of the courtyard.
His Byakugan was already active, the veins around his eyes bulging.
His vision pierced through countless buildings and crossed the streets, locking directly onto the Hokage’s personal forces.
The force was enormous.
The chakra of more than a hundred ninja gathered together, resembling a sun burning in the night.
“What on earth is happening?”
Cold sweat beaded on Hyuga Hiashi’s forehead.
He followed the direction of this terrifying force and also fixed his gaze on the former Senju compound.
“Hizashi.”
Hyuga Hiashi deactivated his Byakugan and turned to his brother.
“Gather the Branch House’s strongest members.
We’re following them.”
“Konoha is likely about to undergo a drastic change.”
…
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio reacted just as quickly.
Nara Shikaku stared blankly at the shogi board before him.
Akimichi Choza held a handful of potato chips, having forgotten to put them in his mouth.
Yamanaka Inoichi closed his eyes and sensed the murderous aura permeating the air.
“This killing intent is far too intense.”
“The ANBU are serious this time.”
Yamanaka Inoichi opened his eyes, his expression unusually grave.
“Shikaku.”
“Should we go take a look?”
“What a drag.”
Nara Shikaku rubbed his messy hair, his face filled with irritation.
“Let’s go.”
“Hokage-sama has caused such a huge commotion.”
“If our clans don’t show up, we’ll be criticized for it.”
…
In just over ten minutes, all of Konoha was in motion.
Countless dark figures raced across the rooftops.
The Inuzuka Clan.
The Aburame Clan.
Even some of the smaller clans sent representatives.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked at the head of the procession.
Of course, he had noticed the people following him.
The leaders of the major ninja clans trailed far behind the ANBU formation, bringing their own elites with them.
“Hokage-sama.”
“Should we send someone to drive them away?”
An ANBU squad leader approached and lowered his voice.
“There’s no need.”
“Let them follow.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen lightly waved his hand.
His goal today was to test Chiba’s attitude.
If Chiba was obedient, everything would be easy to handle.
But if Chiba intended to cause trouble, Hiruzen could use the situation to brand him as a rule-breaking rebel who sought to overthrow Konoha—right in front of all the village’s major clans.
Moral righteousness.
It had always been Sarutobi Hiruzen’s most effective weapon.
As long as he held the moral high ground, Chiba would become Konoha’s public enemy even if he was a descendant of the Senju Clan and possessed tremendous strength.
Meanwhile, at the former Senju Clan compound.
Chiba stood in the middle of the ruins.
He had already walked through the entire compound.
Dilapidated.
Desolate.
The weeds had grown taller than a person, swallowing even many of the collapsed courtyard walls.
The foremost clan that had founded Konoha had fallen into such a godforsaken state.
Chiba shook his head.
The place was completely uninhabitable.
Since nothing but ruins remained, he would simply tear it all down and rebuild it.
Just as Chiba was about to raise his hand, the dense sound of objects slicing through the air erupted from the surrounding woods and the edges of the ruins.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
A large number of ninja appeared and completely surrounded the former Senju compound.
The Hokage had arrived.
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked at the very front.
Behind him came Shimura Danzo, leaning on his cane, with Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura beside him.
Farther back stood the battle-ready elites of the ANBU and Root.
The sound of blades being drawn was especially jarring in the night wind.
Farther out, the leaders of the major clans—including Uchiha Fugaku, Hyuga Hiashi, and Nara Shikaku—landed on the rooftops and treetops.
Everyone studied the young man standing amid the ruins.
“Chiba!”
“This is the Senju Clan’s forbidden ground!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped.
He stared at Chiba’s back and shouted sternly.
His voice, infused with chakra, exploded through the night sky like thunder.
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, he branded Chiba with an accusation.
He made no mention of Chiba’s Senju bloodline.
Instead, he tried to suppress him completely from the moral high ground.
The clan leaders around the perimeter looked at one another.
Tsunade’s student?
Uchiha Fugaku frowned slightly, suspicion filling his Sharingan.
When had Tsunade taken a student?
Hyuga Hiashi was equally confused.
He activated his Byakugan and stared intently at Chiba.
Inside this young man’s body…
What strange chakra!
It was clearly as calm as stagnant water, yet it gave him the sensation of facing a bottomless abyss!
Nara Shikaku stroked his chin, his mind working at high speed.
Something was wrong.
The Hokage’s tone was wrong.
Rather than questioning Chiba, he sounded as though he were trying to conceal his own guilty conscience.
This young man named Chiba was definitely more than just Tsunade’s student!
Chiba slowly turned around.
He looked neither at Sarutobi Hiruzen nor at the battle-ready ANBU.
His gaze swept past everyone and continued examining the edges of the ruins, as though estimating the compound’s total area.
Disregard.
Complete and utter disregard.
With the simplest of actions, Chiba had slapped Sarutobi Hiruzen across the face.
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s expression instantly stiffened.
All the rhetoric he had prepared became lodged in his throat.
“Arrogant brat!”
Shimura Danzo could no longer restrain himself.
A vicious light erupted in his single eye.
The opportunity had arrived!
Sarutobi Hiruzen could not bring himself to attack directly, but Shimura Danzo had no such reservations!
He slammed his cane against the ground with a dull thud.
“Root, heed my command!”
“Take down this traitor who defies the Hokage!”
“Dead or alive!”
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The moment the order was given, dozens of animal-masked figures shot toward Chiba like arrows released from a bow.
They moved with incredible speed.
Explosive tags.
Kunai.
Shuriken.
Several ninja even formed hand seals in midair, releasing scorching Fire Release and razor-sharp Wind Release.
The overwhelming barrage instantly sealed off every escape route around Chiba.
Nara Shikaku held his breath.
This was an utterly lethal formation.
The young man named Chiba did not even have time to form hand seals.
Was he finished?